ILLINOIS GOLF HALL OF FAME Media Inductee LEN ZIEHM from his on the road golf travels, and RORY SPEARS recording from the Golfers on Golf Studio’s in North West Suburban Arlington Heights provide the most complete weekly golf report in Chicago.     _____________________________________________________________________

CLICK HERE to hear the weekly Ziehm & Spears Podcast Series 2020-Volume 22 edition.

This week Len who is traveling the Arthur Hills Golf Trail in Ohio, and Rory who is back on the local links testing out his new clubs cover this weeks golf top golf topics.

They include, the busy golf business, PGA Championship golf coverage review, the current phase of construction on the new clubhouse at the Preserve at Oak Meadows. The cancelling of the Rich Harvest Farms-NIU Intercollegiate Golf Championship, as the MAC Conference folds up fall sports.

Zach Johnson winning the 2020 Payne Stewart Award, a tip of the cap to IPGA pro Dennis Johnsen and the staff at Pine Meadow, for keeping the course running through an over 24 hour power outage. Mike Small’s win in the IL-PGA Sr. Section Championship, that will send him to Port. St. Lucie Florida and PGA Village for the national version of the championship.

Fitted clubs, the way to go, but don’t expect overnight miracles when you first put them in your golf bag. All this and more, thanks for listening Rory and Len.

THE MISTWOOD GOLF CLUB located in Romeville-for tee times call (815)-254-3333     _____________________________________________________________________

The White Pines Clubhouse in Bensenville

THE GOG BLOG-by RORY SPEARS. Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or on Facebook and Linkedin.

**BREAKING NEWS***

The Mistwood Golf Management Group, has reached an agreement with the Bensenville Park District to operate both the golf, and food & beverage operation at White Pines Golf Club in Bensenville. White Pines has two golf courses and a large banquet facility in it’s clubhouse.

Mistwood assistant golf professional Andrew Godfrey, takes over as head golf professional at White Pines. Godfrey tells Golfers on Golf that he is “looking forward to having the opportunity to doing big things at White Pines.”

Godfrey did not rule out a golf dome to returning to White Pines at some point in the future, but not likely this upcoming winter with Covid-19 still expected to be a factor for several more months.

Godfrey expects more meetings this fall with the park district to determine the future direction of White Pines.

The question now is whether Mistwood golf course architect Ray Hearn could return at some point to renovate the golf courses. Stay tuned for more details on this development. RS

THE PINE MEADOW GOLF CLUB in Mundelein Illinois, is OPEN but with no power from yesterdays storm. For details call (847)-566-4653 (GOLF) PinemeadowGC.com      ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or Facebook and LinkedIn. At Pine Meadow GC with Brendy Sims-Patrick Nwankpa

What a day. Finally after a month I was able to get back out on the golf course.

I was long over due, but it was good to have the new clubs in the bag, if only I could put the right set together.

Somehow, I managed to find two 3-woods and no five wood in the bag. UGH. Plus my new set of Callaway Mavriks, a driver and irons.

My new set has no 4-Iron which I could have used today not having a 5-Wood in the bag.

It’s always fun to break in new clubs, even if your playing them around all the broken down trees. As you can see above, Pine Meadow golf Club in Mundelein lost 4-trees on the first hole, and maybe 1 or 2 more in other parts of the golf course.

But crews were hard at work, and things pretty well cleaned up by the time I arrived at 8:05 for my 8:38 tee time. Jemsek Golf that operates the course for the Catholic Archdiocese, had President Katherine Jemsek on the course checking out all that was happening.

The clubhouse had no power as of 2:30 this afternoon, hampering food & beverage. But the golf course and range, one of the area’s best, was operating at full speed. A tree in the parking area had a large limb crack, and was being taken down for safety precautions.

The RZN Golf Ball comes in 4 different styles.

While playing today and breaking in my Callaway Mavrik clubs, I also tried out a new golf ball that I had never played before.

THE RZN Golf Ball.

The company that makes RZN made golf balls for Nike for several years, until Nike decided they could not win in the golf equipment market, Nike is still very active in golf apparel.

My initial review of RZN found some pro’s and con’s. On the con-side, I never felt great about the distance I got for the most part on shots with my woods. No complaints on shots with irons or wedges. The ball putted good, and felt good coming off the club faces of all my clubs. RZN does not feel like a rock.

My golfing partners Brendy Sims and Patrick Nwankpa, had some concerns about overall distance, but agreed it felt good coming off the club face. I’ll have more on the new RZN golf balls later this week.

In the meantime, careful out on the golf course. With yesterdays nasty storms, there were plenty of courses that lost some trees, or might have some cracked limbs that could come down at any time. Safety first. For tee times at Pine Meadow call (847)-566-4653 (GOLF) or online see Pinemeadowgc.com. The Tent-no-Tent sale is still on, get some great bargain’s on golf apparel. RS

THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB has fully reopened from renovation. You can now play all 27 holes everyday of the week. SchaumburgGolf.com or call (847)-885-9000.      _____________________________________________________________________

University of Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small, hit s a drive on the par 4 second hole during the Illinois Open.

The recent 2020 Illinois Open at the White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville, brings out the best golfers from the State of Illinois.

One of them is University of Illinois Men’s Golf coach Mike Small. Small is a four-time Illinois Open Champion and has won the Illinois PGA Section Championship that comes up on Medinah’s No.1 Course in just two weeks more than 10 times.

After finishing play at in the Illinois Open, Golfers on Golf, and Golf 360 TV caught up with the coach at White Eagle Golf Club. In an interview that sprayed to all fairways, Small was great while covering a variety of topics in golf, including the Illinois Open and trying to recruit NCAA Division 1 golfers in the middle of a pandemic, while waiting for the NCAA to give golf programs a green light or a red one for this falls golf season.

Click here to hear the interview with University of Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small.

The Gog Blog is written by Rory Spears, follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and Facebook, linkedIn or Instagram.

TOUR EDGE GOLF Marketing VP Jon Claffey with the Tour Edge driving Iron during Golfers on Golf Radio Am 820 WCPT this past Saturday, more at TourEdge.com. THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF Club now has all 27 holes open from renovation. For more information and tee times see SchaumburgGolf.com or call the shop at (847)-885-9000. _____________________________________________________________________

***BREAKING NEWS-ROYAL MONTREAL TO HOST 2024 PRESIDENTS CUP***

THE GOG BLOG-by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. In the studio at WCPT Am 820

IT’S A MAJOR than came across as a minor. Congrats to the winner, a very classy 23 year old Collin Morikawa, but there was issues with the PGA.com website, ESPN trying to charge money during the week to watch. Who thought up that idea.Then ESPN still didn’t realize by Midnight during Sportscenter after the rain delayed White Sox-Indians game, that Morikawa won the PGA, and Tiger did not. What a mess ESPN is when it comes to golf coverage.

Then there is CBS-TV, the late finish times didn’t do wonders for anyone. The fans the players, or the kids on the east coast that had to go bed before the leaders hit the 18th green at TPC Harding Park.

Apparently CBS didn’t learn it’s lesson from the NBC televised U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach, about what late start times on the West Coast mean. It’s never fun when it’s dinner time in Chicago or the East Coast, and the leaders are first teeing off. Seriously who thought this up. The proper finish times on the West Coast should be 4 PM, with a 6 Pm CST or 7 Pm EST final putt. Unless a weather delay forces an issue.

What nobody at CBS has learned, is that when the West Coast is putting out at 7 Pm, the leaders get penalized every round. Temperatures drop over 10 degrees from the 1st tee to the 18th green, the leaders go from short sleeves to all-weather long sleeve apparel. Shadows that make it hard to putt are a big problem for the players. Everyone deserves better, and CBS should know better.

WHAT CBS did very well was move the coverage around during the final round, not making it all about 1 or 2 players. Having six players tied for the lead helps, but what we saw in coverage, mixing it up and seeing all the players is what golf coverage SHOULD BE. The final round was one of the best televised rounds in golf I have seen in a long time, I was glued to the broadcast.

THE PGA OF AMERICA’s website needs some improvement. There was no marking of the expected cut line, that you get on PGATour.com on Thursday and Friday, there was no way to determine who the club pro’s playing in the championship were. They needed a designation (CP) next to their name. Maybe next year PGA.com will make some needed improvements.

A TIP OF THE CAP to those who renovated TPC Harding Park. The place was a dumpy course, lacking grass on the tee boxes and the putting green, when I was there years ago. It looked so bad, I didn’t end up playing there that day, and went somewhere else. The renovated edition looks really nice, and a return visit is called for. By the PGA and me.

PHIL on TV-Phil Mickelson’s TV time earned rave reviews, and there is some thought in getting him into the TV-booth at the some point, when he quits playing, or cuts back his schedule. I wonder how quick networks will hire current players, after Davis Love III did a quick bail out, to return to playing on both tours this year.

FALSE TIGER HOPES started the week, but didn’t last long. Tiger was barely top 30, after Round 1, and he kept sliding backwards every round and was never a threat. Putting seemed to be his biggest issue, but it seems like there are just too many younger players that have more going for them these days than Tiger does. Winning again for Tiger will be very difficult, unless there is a short and weaker field than in normal PGA Tour events.

Mike Scully

FORMER MEDINAH COUNTRY CLUB Director of Golf Mike Scully is on the move again. Scully who left Medinah after the Ryder Cup in 2012, and headed to Desert Mountain in Scottsdale Arizona, saw that run come to an end in 2018.

From there Scully headed east to Reynolds at Lake Oconee, about an hour east of Atlanta Georgia.

Over the weekend came news that Scully is now Director of Golf Operations at the Cherry Creek Country Club, outside of Denver in Colorado. Congratulations to Mike on his new opportunity at Cherry Creek, that has a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course.

A CONGRATULATIONS to the Illinois PGA and the White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville for the way they pulled off the 2020 Illinois Open. Special thanks to the players including champion Bryce Emory of Aurora, for conducting interviews at safe distances with media members, but still doing them face-to-face. The entire virtual world in the sports media is a joke, using Zoom video is not a good option and should be eliminated whenever possible, with Covid or no Covid still lurking in our world.

The membership at White Eagle did a great job and was very supportive of the championship and the safety protocols that were put in place. White Eagle will hopefully host the Illinois Open again, along with Stonebridge Country Club that was originally planned to be the second course this year.

GREAT NEWS has been how busy golf courses seem to be everywhere. With several other summer options off the board this year, golf has been a way for people to get outside, get some fresh-air and exercise. Rounds have been way-up for most courses for three straight months. Let’s hope it continues. More good news is the amount of people spending money on new or improved clubs. Get fitted, get better, go enjoy your golf game.

For the first time in three weeks, I have no golf tournament to cover so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone out on the links. I have new clubs to break-in and plan to do just that. Go Play everyone. The Gog Blog is back all week. RS

  WATCH THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP’S FINAL ROUND TODAY ON CBS from Harding Park golf course, in San Francisco. Tour Edge Golf Headquarters in Batavia Illinois.       _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG-by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf, follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram. With Tour Edge Golf Marketing VP Jon Claffey (R) at WCPT AM 820.

SPECIAL THANKS to Jon Claffey VP of Marketing for Tour Edge Golf to join us in studio for Saturdays show. You can watch the replay on the WCPT Facebook page, or for the audio version Soundcloud.com/ChicagosprogressiveTalk.

Tour Edge staff player Tim Petrovic joined us live in route to next weeks Sr. Players Championship at Firestone CC in Ohio.

Stay clicked in to see who the third host will be, on Golfers on Golf Radio. Every Saturday morning 10 Am-820 WCPT.

The Cog Hill Golf Club-CoghillGolf.com

THEY are not just here for the beer. While Cog Hill Long Drive Pale Ale has been a hot seller this summer, there is more than that happening at Cog Hill.

AUGUST 19th, at 8:30 and 1:45 Pm you can play Cog #4-Dubs, like the pro’s. $110.00 buys you an entry spot in the field. Call (866)-COG-HILL to sign up and if you can’t make the 19th, you can get a mulligan and sign up for October 5th. CogHillGolf.com

CALLAWAY WEDNESDAY’S are now open at Cog Hill, on August 12th and August 26th, you can get fitted from 12-5 Pm, call now and get your appointment time at (866)-264-4455 or see CogHillGolf.com

Improvements and great sales are always happening at Pine Meadow Golf Club in Mundelein. 847-566-GOLF

MORE FROM JEMSEK GOLF-up north at Pine Meadow in Mundelein. Director of Golf Dennis Johnsen has created a No-Tent, Tent Sale. Since something always goes wrong when Pine Meadow has an outdoor tent sale, they are having a tent sale in the pro shop. So help Debbie and Dennis move out all the 2020 merchandise so they can get ready for all the new 2021 goodies. Call Pine Meadow at (847)-566-GOLF (4653) for more details.

Lawsonia Links-In Green Lake Wisconsin. An architect William Langford classic golf course.

The Estates of Lawsonia are now for sale. Have you ever thought about living around one of the Top 100 rated classic golf courses in America.

Well now you can, if you are interested in purchasing property in Green Lake Wisconsin. For more see EstatesofLawsonia.com.

The Links at Lawsonia have two courses, the Links Course and the Woods Course. The Woods Course doesn’t get the attention the Links Course does, but it’s still a pretty good golf course.

Now Lawsonia has added an APP, for more details visit Lawsonia.com.

Links Capital Advisors-for those buying and selling golf courses.

Chris Charnas and Links Capital Advisors are proud to announce the sale of the Broadmoor Golf Links in Fletcher North Carolina.

If your still looking to buy, see the new listing by LCA the Cimmaron Golf Club in Cathedral California

For more details contact Chris Charnas at LinksCapitalAdvisors.com.

  The famous Erin Hills Labor Day Weekend special is back. This September 5-7 you can play one round and spend the night, and get a second round free. While you are there test out the new Drumlin Putting Green, and a Fescue Rescue. For more details visit Erinhills.com. or call (866)-590-9468.

Volvik Golf Balls

Volvik Golf Balls that brought golfers the colorful 4th of July golf ball set, and the the latest in the series of super hero logo’d golf balls, is now adding something safe during these pandemic times.

Currently with a purchase of at least 24 dozen Volvik golf balls, come with 24 FREE hand sanitizers, the order must be shipped by the end of the month (Aug. 31).

“As a result of this program a consumer that buys one-dozen golf balls in any model will receive a free bottle of Dr. Yerma Hand Sanitizer while supplies last,” said Wes Whittingham vice president of sales for Volvik USA. “During this time of Cvoid-19, while golfers are enjoying the game according to health guidelines, Volvik is dedicated to helping with promote safe play. You can mix and match models and colors, 6 dozen minimum per model, 2 dozen per color. Maximum 48 dozen balls and hand sanitizers. For more information see Volvik.com.

TOPGOLF has now opened it’s second open air venue that includes a mini-golf course, in Chattanooga Tennessee. The new facility comes with 36 climate controlled hitting bays. For more details see Topgolf.com/US/chattanooga.

The new Tour Speed Golf Ball from Titleist, now available in pro shops.

TOUR SPEED-from Titleist, now available in pro shops.

Titleist calls the new Tour Speed, a high performance, multi-layer golf ball, with a proprietary thermoplastic urethane cover. That would give golfers the fastest, best performing golf ball in it’s category.

Tour Speed is expected to provide not only exceptional distance, but control on short game scoring shots.

Titleist says the new Tour Speed ball is faster and longer than all of the other top golf balls designed by other major manufacturers. The new Tour Speed has a new 346 quadrilateral dipyramid dimple design, that gives the ball a penetrating flight.

Before release, Tour Speed went through an extensive amateur testing for a three month R&D testing series. Tour Speed is listed at MAP $39.99 per dozen. More details at Titleist.com.

The new Srixon Brite color golf balls.

They have arrived in North America. The new Srixon color Brite golf balls, in Brite Orange, Brite Red, and Brite Green.

“Soft Feel Brite delivers all the benefits of the Soft Feel golf ball with additional matte color offerings,” said Brian Schielke, Marketing Director at Srixon. “With the addition of the FastLayer Core, Soft Feel Brite provides the total package of enhanced distance, feel and visibility.”

The 338 Speed Dimple Pattern helps reduce drag on the ball at launch and provides an increase in lift during decent. If you need feel from your golf ball and require more visibility, you can learn more about Srixon Soft Feel Brite golf balls at Srixon.com. The MAP $21.99 per dozen.

The Gog Blog Returns on Monday. RS

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO L-R is Rory Spears-Ed Stevenson-Bill Berger. Tomorrow-Saturday’s show tee’s off at 10 AM-on Am 820 WCPT. You can listen on the radio, or listen live at Wcpt820.com. Watch us live or later on WCPT 820 Facebook Page. If your on the golf course use the Tune-In Radio APP Search WCPT. Need a mulligan because you were on the golf course, try SoundCloud.com/Chicagosprogressivetalk.

OUR GUEST HOST is TOUR EDGE GOLF Marketing VP Jon Claffey, subbing for Ed Stevenson (30-Day DL Shoulder). Tour Edge Golf Champions Tour staff player Tim Petrovic joins us live. Learn more about the line of Exotics, and new Wingman Putter.

We will hear from 2020 Illinois Open Champion Bryce Emory of Aurora, 2017 Illinois Open and Illinois State Amateur Champion, now on the Korn Ferry Tour Patrick Flavin of Highwood. Our weekly contributor from the Daily Herald the Hall of Famer Len Ziehm checks in with some thoughts on this weeks PGA Championship at Harding Park near San Francisco.

10 AM-WCPT Am 820-join us, and thanks for listening. Ed-Billy and Rory.

LEN ZIEHM Veteran Illinois Golf Writer and Illinois Golf Hall of Fame 2019 Inductee, along with RORY SPEARS have teamed up to produce Chicago Best weekly recap on the state of golf in Illinois and beyond. This week is Week #21, we hope you will join us.  _____________________________________________________________________

Click here to hear this weeks Ziehm & Spears Podcast Series 2020-Volume 21.

This week Len and Rory discuss the Illinois Open at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville, this weeks PGA Championship, the challenges Big Ten golf coaches face in playing golf this fall.

Rory announces this weeks guest host for Golfers on Golf Radio. Check out this weeks podcast, and thanks for listening-Len and Rory.

THE WHITE EAGLE GOLF CLUB in Naperville Illinois, home of the 71st Illinois Open.    ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG-by RORY SPEARS, reporting from Naperville. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, or Facebook and LinkedIn.

2020 Illinois Open Champion Bryce Emory at the White Eagle Golf Club. Photo by Nick Novelli.

Bryce Emory just won the biggest tournament of his golf career, the 71st Illinois Open.

Emory a native of nearby Aurora, started the third and final round with a 4 shot lead, before the front nine was over his lead was but one shot and slipping away.

But Emory got back on track with a birdie on the par 4th ninth hole, when his approach shot that for a moment looked like it might fly over the 9th green, hit just in front of the back fringe and spun back to 2 feet left of the cup. One putt later his lead was three, because Tee-k Kelly’s birdie putt went up the hill on the 9th green, got to the top of the ridge, stopped for a few seconds, and rolled back down the hill some 35 feet to near where Kelly had putted the ball from.

Click here to hear interviews with 2020 Illinois Open Champion Bryce Emory, and runner-up Jack Korzon.

Emory added two more birdies on the back nine, with no bogeys and with nobody in the field mounting a back nine charge. Emory cruised in with a 4 shot win, the largest in the Illinois Open since last year, when David Cooke defeated Nick Hardy by 4 shots. Emory earned $19,928 for his first place win, coming from the purse of $105,000.

Bryce Emory during third round play at the 71st Illinois Open. Photo by Nick Novelli.

Jack Korzon of Downers Grove made a couple of late birdies to take second place.

Korzon closed with a 3 under par 69, which was the third best round of the day.

Brian Bullington of Frankfort and Jordan Hahn of Spring Grove shared the low rounds of the day, both with 4 under par 68’s. They both finished T-9.

Highwood’s Patrick Flavin the 2017 Illinois Open Champion, who hovered around the lead for all three days, couldn’t not get off to the quick start he was looking for in the final round. Over par for much of his round Flavin had a late birdie, and then an Eagle 3, on the par 5, 17th hole to finish the day at even par, and a T-5 for the championship.

White Eagle Director of Golf Curtis Malm (L) presents low-amateur Jordan Less with the Low-Amateur trophy.

Jordan Less of Elmhurst who won the 2019 Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) Match Play title, shot a final round of 72 to win the Low-Amateur award.

Less had bounced back from a 1st Round 74, with a 69 in Round 2, in tough windy conditions.

But with warmer temps and less wind in the third round he could not mount the charge he had hoped for. But was happy to finish low-amateur 1 shot ahead of University of Illinois Sr. Giovanni Tadiotto. Tadiotto tied for 9th place with his U of I golf coach Mike Small. Small had multiple late birdie attempts that could have left him as high as third place, if a few putts would have dropped. Small is looking forward to competing in the IPGA Section Championship, a tournament he basically owns having won more than ten times at Medinah Country Club in 3 weeks.

Brandon Holtz the first round leader, fell back to even par for the championship with a final round of 74 (+2). Ethan Brue who started the day tied for second place, was one of the players who got within 1 shot of Emory early on the front nine. But a quadruple bogey 8, on the par 4 7th hole, ended his hopes of winning the title and lead to a final round of 74.

The players were strongly supported by the members of White Eagle who turned out in nice numbers, while practicing social distancing. It’s likely the Illinois Open will return to the club within a couple of years.

THE WHITE EAGLE GOLF CLUB in Naperville Illinois is home to the 71st Illinois Open. _____________________________________________________________________

Brandon Holtz is gunning for his first Illinois Open title. But after a course record in Round 1, he is chasing leader Bryce Emory by 4 shots.

TWO DAYS and two course records at the White Eagle Golf Club.

On a windy day in Naperville, Bryce Emory made the turn at 1 under par for the day, and then ended up 5 under par on the back-nine to take control of the Illinois Open heading in the final round on Wednesday.

Emory 29, who grew up in Aurora and playing the Aurora Country Club has reached a point where he is thinking about his career going forward. Playing some mini-tour events his game has evolved to a point, where he thought this might be his last year of Illinois Opens. Then Covid-19 has hit and now he thinking some more about, “what’s in store” long term while working at the Black Sheep Club in Sugar Grove. Black Sheep head professional Kevin Healy is Emory’s swing coach.

Bryce Emory leads the Illinois Open after tying the course record, with a second round 66.

“I have practiced a little bit less this year, and feel a little more fresher which is a good thing, ” said Emory. “But once I started playing this summer I was playing pretty good. But I come here and at 29 I feel like one of the old guys in the field.”

Three players are tied for 2nd place, all after carding 2-under par rounds of 70 in the second round. Charlie Netzel, Tee-k Kelly, and Ethan Brue all battled the afternoon winds and looked for most of the day they would join Patrick Flavin and first round leader Brandon Holtz in a final round battle for the trophy.

“Today was at least a club more wind and the guests were pretty nasty,” said Kelly. ” The pins are…set up like a championship. They are tough to get to and tough to putt to and greens have some big slopes on them. If you just park your approach shots in the middle of the green, you will have some crazy lag-putts to deal with.”

Then suddenly the news broke that Emory had a run of late birdies, that included an eagle and he had posted a 66.

Holtz has been close to winning an Illinois Open title in the past, this time he wants to finish the job. But with Emory matching Holtz’s Round 1 course record, that job just got a lot tougher.

“Today was rough,” said Holtz. “Yesterday I had a lot of control of the golf ball, I was able to put it where I wanted. But today that was not the case. I battled it around out there, and feel like I’m still in the mix. The key is playing out of the fairway, because the rough is ankle deep and it’s thick. The greens are firm and tough, but tournament greens should be tough. Holtz and wife are enjoying their new 5-month old baby boy, even though it has put a little damper on his playing. But Holtz is taking his son to the range, and cutting down some clubs to junior golf size could be an upcoming project for Holtz.

Holtz set a course record at the White Eagle during Round 1 with a 6 under par 66, however Tuesdays Round 2 saw some pin-placements that left some of the field groaning at Tournament Director Brad Slocum.

With temperatures in the morning in the low 60’s, but moving up to the mid-70’s by the afternoon, and a wind speed of 15, and gusting into the mid-20’s. It was easy to say that White Eagle had scores of the states best players soaring, as those near the clubhouse had to look no further than the flag on the island 18th green, to see it flapping so strong it appeared it might fly right off the flagstick.

2017 Illinois Amateur and Illinois Open Champion Flavin was in the first group out at 7:30, Flavin shot a 1 over par 73. When asked about his over par round, Flavin called it, “a good round of golf.” For much of the day it appeared that Flavin would be correct, in saying anything around par would be a good score.

FOUR-TIME Champion University of Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small rebounded with a 1-under par 71, Small sits at +2 and made the cut that fell at +6.

ROUND 2 saw a win for the senior golfer. After Zach Mulhearn beat his dad Danny Mulhearn by 4 shots in Round 1, Danny returned in Round 2 to beat Zach by 4 shots. Both Mulhearn’s missed the cut, but family bragging rights are still up for grabs.

16 YEAR OLD William Gneiser the youngest player in the field, rebounded from a 91 in Round 1, and was ten shots better at 81 in Round 2. Gneiser is the grandson of the late Blackhawks star Stan Mikita, who played in multiple Illinois Opens back in the 1970’s.

MEDINAH PROFESSIONAL Travis Johns who came in bidding for the career Grand Slam, made the cut on the number at +6. But is 13 shots off the lead, and a run at the slam will have to wait another year.

51 players made the cut, and tee times are expected to start with the early groups off the first tee at 9 Am.